Diversification as a tool for sustainable development of rural areas in the con-text of decentralization

Abstract

The article substantiates diversification as a tool to ensure sustainable development of rural areas in decentralization, which contributes to increasing incomes of the rural population, increasing gross agricultural and non-agricultural products, ensuring the competitiveness of rural areas, achieving economic, food and environmental safety, rational use, protection and reproduction of natural resources. In the process of researching the level of sustainable development of rural areas, monographic and graphic methods and scientific generalization were used. The study identified internal factors that affect the sustainable development of rural areas. Social factors include living conditions, the situation on the labor market, the state of social infrastructure. Economic factors should include the provision of agricultural land, the state of diversification of agricultural and non-agricultural activities, the amount of investment in economic development, the level and structure of household income in rural areas. Environmental factors include the level of air pollution, the situation with waste, the use of freshwater, the application of fertilizers to soils, the production and restoration of forests, the level of investment in environmental protection. External factors influencing the sustainable development of rural areas include the political situation in the country and the world; decentralization process; state programs to support rural development and agriculture; the level of supply and demand for goods and services produced in a particular area, etc. It is substantiated that diversification is a tool to ensure sustainable development and strengthen the competitive advantages of rural areas. It is stipulated that attracting investments in rural development and diversification of economic activity will contribute to job creation; income growth of rural residents; the revival of local crafts, customs and crafts, improvement of villages and change of consciousness of villagers. Further research should be carried out in the direction of calculating the integrated index of sustainable development of rural areas in Ukraine to identify regional disparities in the social, economic and environmental spheres of the functioning of these areas in the context of decentralization.